5 Things We Learned at the First-Ever GTM Luxury Conference

Last week, the very first Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) Luxury conference took place at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. Seventy-five handpicked luxury travel advisors were in attendance, aiming to build lasting relationships with trusted suppliers in the luxury travel sphere through one-on-one meetings, boardroom presentations and more.

GTM Luxury is put on by Northstar Travel Group, parent company of TravelAge West, and joins Northstar’s portfolio of industry networking events, including GTM and GTM West. The GTM portfolio of events hold advisor attendees to strict sales and experience requirements.

“Our vetting process is second to none,” said Jacqueline Hurst, director of trade recruitment and engagement at Northstar Travel Group. “GTM Luxury travel advisors must demonstrate proven luxury sales, and that they have high-net-worth clients who look to them for knowledge and expertise in crafting custom luxury experiences, where the budget is not a concern. They are the most influential luxury sellers in North America.”

TravelAge West was onsite to watch the inaugural GTM Luxury in action. Here are a few takeaways from the presentations and conversations we heard.

1. The Luxury Market Is Thriving

Numbers do not lie, and the current numbers around luxury traveler spending show a robust market with plenty of people ready to invest in high-end travel. That’s why now is the ideal time for an event such as GTM Luxury, according to Alicia Evanko-Lewis, executive vice president, events, for Northstar.

“The global luxury travel market size was estimated at $1.48 trillion in 2024, and it is projected to reach $2.36 trillion by 2030,” Evanko-Lewis said at GTM Luxury’s first general session. “High-net-worth individuals are investing more than ever in meaningful, high-touch travel experiences, with travel now ranking as one of their top discretionary spending priorities. These travelers are seeking personalization, exclusivity and authenticity, and they’re willing to spend significantly to achieve that.”  

2. Luxury Travelers Want to Go Where No One Else Has Gone

During small-group boardroom sessions, advisors and suppliers alike talked about the growing demand for under-the-radar destinations and products; luxury clients want to visit places and have experiences that other travelers haven’t thought to see or do. According to GTM Luxury attendees, this includes destinations such as Greenland and the polar regions, as well as villa and yacht vacations.

Stephanie Governali, senior director of consortia partnerships for Kensington Tours, and Aimee Graham, director of sales, Florida, for the tour company, report that travelers want “once in a lifetime, every time.” Relatedly, Kensington has seen a 94% increase in yacht trips and growing demand for its villa product.

“If you have a luxe cruiser, you have a yachter,” Graham told advisors in a boardroom meeting. “At $55,000 for 11 days on an eight-passenger private catamaran, these are great for multigen families, two families or couples.”

Similarly, Lisa Gourdin, director of business development for Ponant, highlighted the line’s Le Commandant Charcot in her boardroom meetings — the one-of-a-kind icebreaker debuted in 2021 and can access places other ships cannot. Itineraries to the geographic North Pole and the Baltic Sea are among options. 

“There is no ship like it,” Gourdin said.

3. True Immersion in a Destination and Exclusive Access Are Musts for Luxe Clients

Kiran Nambiar, senior vice president of sales for Anzcro, a destination management company for Australia and New Zealand, used his boardroom meetings to highlight three luxury properties in Australia and New Zealand that are terrific picks for luxury and true destination immersion: Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, Longitude 131 in Uluru and Huka Lodge in New Zealand.

RELATED: Southern Ocean Lodge Is Open Again on Australia’s Kangaroo Island

Each of these resorts is surrounded by untouched landscapes and offers access to distinct experiences. For example, guests at Huka Lodge — set on 17 acres on the Waikato River, and a place Queen Elizabeth stayed several times — can book fly fishing excursions, helicopter adventures, kayaking trips and more. An excursion to Tamaki Maori Village for a Maori feast is another highlight in this remote destination.

"In Australia and New Zealand, the location is the luxury,” Nambiar said.

4. Differentiation Is a Marker of a Luxury Trip

First-time GTM event attendee Abbey Chase, business development manager for Scott Dunn, sat down with advisors and TravelAge West to talk about what the luxury travel company is doing to stand out from the crowd. One way? Differentiation in the group and family travel markets. The operator is especially considering what teens and tweens want to do on a trip.

“We book tons of family travel, and we are working on products and itineraries that engage the 12-to-18 crowd,” Chase said. “I've done some competitive analysis, and a lot of our competitors talk about families as if kids are a liability. Instead, we really want to celebrate it. Older kids want to feel like adults, and they want to feel like they have agency. We're trying to give them some space for that.”

Chase says that African safaris are set up well for this — perhaps the teens go on a guided excursion while mom and dad relax by the pool, or vice versa. In Cambodia, a sunrise visit to Angkor Wat is followed by downtime (a loved itinerary component for many teens), or, instead of touring from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a family might adventure from 2 p.m. in the afternoon to 10 p.m. at night so they can experience the electric buzz of local night markets.

“It's really thrilling, especially in destinations such as in Asia, to be out at night — it’s just kind of a different cultural timeframe,” Chase said. “Going out at night unlocks experiences that retirees may not really want, but the teens do.”

5. In-Person Meetings Remain a Vital Networking Tool

Sabine Harris of Cruise Planners has been in the travel business for 36 years, and she still prioritizes in-person networking opportunities. Harris was thrilled to be part of the inaugural GTM Luxury, and she felt like there was room in the market for an event that focused just on the luxury advisor.  Being part of such an exclusive group of agents was an exciting privilege, she says.

“I heard there were only 75 advisors, and that, to me, is key,” Harris said.  “They're gathering the best of the best.”

After more than three decades in the business, Harris values how in-person events allow for authentic human connection and lots of new learning.

“I use Kensington Tours, but I didn't realize they had so much more to offer,” Harris said after hearing a presentation from the brand. “Now, later today, I have an appointment with them, and I have questions to ask.”

She was especially eager to hear more about Kensington’s personal heritage trips — a new-to-her product she’s excited to start selling. 

Harris says that even a six-minute, in-person appointment can pack a powerful punch, which is why events like this one are a crucial part of her business.

“I feel like if I ever need anything, and I'm in a pinch, I can reach out and say, “Hey, I've got an issue,’” she said. “And if I have a VIP client, I can ask what we can do to wow them.”